Boston

The president of Harvard University is under growing pressure, following the release of a full transcript of contentious remarks he made last month about women in science.

Some faculty were considering calling for a vote of no confidence in Larry Summers at a special meeting of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences due to take place on 22 February, although there are indications that such a vote may not take place until next month.

National controversy continues to rage over Summers' comments, in which he suggested that differences in “intrinsic aptitude” might be a key factor behind the scarcity of women in science, outweighing the impact of gender discrimination.

The Harvard Corporation, the board to which Summers is answerable, took the highly unusual step of issuing a statement of support for him. “We are confident of his ability to work constructively with the faculty and others,” the 17 February statement said.

The same day, Harvard released a 7,000-word transcript of Summers' speech and the questions that followed it. In the transcript, Summers compared the under-representation of women in science to that of whites in the National Basketball League and Jews in farming.

Summers' position was damaged by a stormy, closed-faculty meeting on 15 February, at which many criticized what they see as his autocratic management style (see Nature 433, 190–192; 2005).

Some critics say that the release of the transcript has weakened his position. “My sense is that Larry Summers' job is on the line,” says Everett Mendelsohn, a historian of science at Harvard.

“He has only a few options,” says Arthur Kleinman, chairman of the anthropology department. “Resign, get fired, or rework his policy style.” Fellow economists, however, have circulated a letter of support for Summers, which by 21 February had attracted 180 signatures.

And even some critics of his remarks on women say he should stay. In her research, Harvard psychologist Elizabeth Spelke has found no evidence of a biological basis for gender differences in mathematical ability. “I disagree with almost everything Summers said,” says Spelke. “But I hope he will keep his job and rectify the situation, in the way he said he would.” Summers has repeatedly apologized for his remarks.